Blood Soaked Parchment
by Devonny Rose
Summary: It all started with a secret invitation. Now, what they thought was going to be a harmless night of Halloween fun, has turned into a nightmare of sour treats and the worst trick of all - murder.
1. The First Chapter

**A/N: A Halloween story for all of you. It's a pretty short story, only about 6 chapters I believe, and I will be posting it up until Halloween. Enjoy!**

The First Chapter

"Harry, wake up!"

The pillow felt soft under his head. As he snuggled down further into his blankets, the calls got louder.

"Harry? Harry!"

Mumbling irritably, Harry turned over and opened his eyes. His best friend, Ron Weasley loomed above him. When he noticed Harry was awake, he broke into a large grin.

"It's about bloody time! Did you see this yet?" He waved his arm widely, a small parchment envelope clutched in his hands.

Harry blearily rubbed his eyes and sat up. He glared at the way-too-chipper-for-first-thing-in-the-morning Seventh Year. "What could possibly have made you wake me up at –" he glanced over at the wall clock "– it's 6 a.m.?!? Damn it, Ron! You better have a good explanation," he threatened.

Ron gulped and stepped back as he noticed to wand clutched firmly in the black haired boy's hand. Any Gryffindor student in their right mind knew that it was hazardous to their health to wake up Harry Potter. He was a hex first; ask questions later kind of person.

"Calm down." Ron held his hands up in a gesture of surrender, but Harry didn't lower his wand. He just raised an eyebrow with a 'Well? What do you want?' expression on his face.

"I just wanted to tell you about this." He motioned to the envelope in his grip again.

Harry sighed impatiently. "What is it?"

"I can't tell you that. But," he added quickly at Harry's murderous look. "Check and see if you got one. Under your pillow."

Humoring him, Harry ran a hand under his pillows until it bumped into a square of paper. He pulled it out. Ron let out a whoop of excitement.

"Go on, open it!"

He studied the packet closely, checking for any curses or tampering. Gingerly, he ran a finger along the writing on the front.

**To Mister Harry Potter**

Simple. Direct. Exactly how Harry like it.

This time, Ron let out a noise of impatience.

"Stop being so paranoid, Harry. Just open it!"

Rolling his eyes, Harry carefully pulled open the flap, dumping the contents out onto his bed. A thin piece of paper floated down.

_**Ready for a night of terror? Want to face your most dangerous fears?**_

_**Join us this Halloween night at the Shrieking Shack at 11 p.m.**_

_**Tell no one.**_

Involuntarily, Harry felt a chill travel up his spine.

"So?" Ron prompted. "Do you want to go?"

"I don't know, Ron. It seems kind of shady to me."

"Oh, come on, Harry! Where's your daring? What happened to the Harry Potter I know? The one who wasn't afraid to take risks or break a rule every now and then?"

"It's not that. You know I love some good fun as much as the next bloke. But ... something is just off."

"Merlin, Harry! You're channeling Moody's spirit on me! All those shouts of 'Constant Vigilance' have finally gone to your head."

"I just don't like Halloween, okay."

Ron sat down on the bed. "Harry, Voldemort is gone. If any one needs to get out and party a bit, it's you. So what do you say?"

Harry looked into his friend's imploring face and caved. "Alright. What could it hurt?"


	2. The Second Chapter

**A/N: Sorry, my internet access has been down for the few days. I'll have another chapter up tonight.**

The Second Chapter

"What do we do about Hermione?" asked Ron as the entered to Common Room. He looked around nervously.

"What about me?" The boys jumped at Hermione's voice behind them. They slowly turned around and met her expectant face, crossed arms, and tapping foot.

"Er ... "Ron trailed off and shot Harry a desperate look.

"He wants to know if you got an invitation, too," Harry simply said. Ron groaned.

"Harry! It said not to tell anyone." Harry rolled his eyes.

"Oh, honestly," Hermione said impatiently. She pulled a thin envelope – identical to the ones Harry and Ron had received that morning – out of her robe pocket. "This thing is ridiculous. You can't actually being taking it seriously."

"What is with the two of you?" Ron looked at his best friends' faces. "Can't either of you ever loosen up and have a little fun?"

"Since when is illegally breaking out of school fun?" Hermione retorted.

"It has been fun to every student who has ever attended Hogwarts!"

"Not to me, Ronald Weasley!"

Harry winced at their raised voices. He gotten used to their almost daily bickering. It was time for him to play the moderator again.

"It could be fun, Hermione," he suggested. She glared at him hostilely, but her gaze softened as he winced and took a step back. Hermione had been worried about Harry ever since the last battle with Voldemort – he still refused to talk about what happened that day.

"I guess so," she sighed and gave in. Then she brightened. "And we get to wear costumes!"

* * *

"I can't believe you talked me into wearing this!" Ron complained as they walked down the long deserted passageway to Honeydukes. He tugged at the green tunic distastefully.

"That'll teach you to let her pick out your costume, now won't it," Harry responded. Hermione whacked him across the head. "Hey! I wasn't the one complaining about my costume!"

Ron pouted. "That's because you got a nice, _manly_, one."

"I happen to think Peter Pan is very manly," Hermione said loftily, her voice slurred slightly by the fangs she had charmed in earlier.

"Maybe in the prissy Muggle world!" _Whap!_ "Ouch! Come one, Hermione, tights just are not a guy thing!"

Harry chuckled as Ron was smacked again. The red-head was right about one thing – Hermione knew what she was doing when she picked Harry's costume out. The long green cloaked perfectly accented his kingly crown.

But on Ron's other complaints – well, Harry was of the opinion that Ron looked very dashing in tights.

They reached the end of the tunnel and carefully snuck through the sweetshop, out into the town above. As it was Halloween night, the streets were packed and the group blended into the crowd perfectly.

"I'm telling you, Ron, you are going to thank me for helping you one day – " Hermione drifted off as a short blond woman walked by them wearing the exact same Peter Pan outfit. "Never mind."

Ron opened his mouth to protest some more when Harry cut him off.

"Quiet!" he hissed. "We're here."

The Shrieking Shack loomed before them, decked out in cobwebs and festive orange and black streamers.

"How are we supposed to get in?" Hermione whispered into Harry's ear. "It's a well-known fact that this place is sealed shut – "

"Er, guys?" Harry and Hermione looked over at Ron. He pushed against the door gently and it slowly creaked opened.

"Oh."

"Well, here goes nothing," Harry said and they stepped inside.


End file.
